History: From 851 to 1199 Panigale Ducati Superbikes 25 years
While our very special envoy is en route to Abu Dhabi circuit and the first tests and dynamic tests of the new Ducati 1199 Panigale, latestbikesinfo take the opportunity to offer you a prestigious retrospective. In 25 years of Superbike, Bologna has produced among the finest examples of WSBK championship: 851, 888, 916, 996, 998, 999, 1098, 1198, the Italian sports have made history!
Historically, Ducati’s history is intimately linked to motorcycle racing. Since 1987 especially, the Italian brand has continued to advance its vision of sport twin World Superbike (WSBK), with many successes in the key and sometimes even a few disappointments … To better understand the tremendous challenge that the new and highly anticipated Ducati 1199 Panigale will attempt to better identify and make you wait before discovering his first try in the coming days on latestbikesinfo.com, here is our history of Italian superbikes which, for nearly 25 years, spread terror on all circuits in the world!
Ducati 851: The pioneer
In 1987, landed with the Ducati 851, a motorcycle very racy for its time, using new components and especially a four-valve engine with an innovative liquid cooling and electronic injection developed by engineer Massimo Bordi ; On his handlebars, Marco Lucchinelli win the race known as the “Battle of the twins” (BOT) in Daytona, transfixed before a competition. Ducati will build on the innovations while the 851 to continue the development of subsequent generations.
Manufacturer data (street bike): 104 hp at 9,250 r / min, 188 kg dry
Manufacturer data (motorcycle racing): 134 hp at 12000 r / min, 145 kg dry.
Ducati 888: First consecrations
The 888 “road” succeeded the 851 in 1991. This is a big change initiated by the Castiglione brothers then head of the empire Ducati. Doug Polen became an icon of World Superbike, winning 17 victories in racing with the Ducati 888 and winning the second World Superbike manufacturer of Bologna before the French Raymond Roche, he author of four victories in 1991.
Compared to the 851, the 888 grew on all points, thanks to the work on internal engine components using better alloys among others and also on the external parts of the bike (brakes, trim, aerodynamic research). Versions of the Ducati 888 SP also declined over the years, topped with carbon and other high performance engine parts.
Manufacturer data (street bike): 109 hp at 9,000 r / min, 188 kg dry.
Manufacturer data (motorcycle racing): 134 hp at 12000 r / min, 145 kg dry.
In November 1993, the Ducati 916 … which will remain engraved in the tablets forever just for his magical style, due to the stroke of a pen by Massimo Tambourine. This motorcycle, conceived as a pure race bike, combines a template middleweight innovative solutions such as single-sided, the pots under the seat or frame steel mesh completely revised. The engine, too, has received many improvements with the sole purpose of creating an ideal working base for the WSBK championship.
The arrival of the Ducati 916 also marks the beginning of the era Fogarty, who won two consecutive titles in 1994 and 1995 worldwide, Troy Coarser taking the baton in 1996. The last 916 SPS, appeared in 1997, prefigured the change of the graft with 996 cm3 engine.
Manufacturer data (street bike): 109 hp at 9,000 r / min, 192 kg dry
Manufacturer data (motorcycle racing): 133 hp at 11,500 rev / min, 155 kg dry
Ducati 996/998: The second wind
With the aura, beauty and race wins in the 916, the brand is riding the success – sporting and commercial – but is already looking to improve at all costs the quality of its products while the fate Ducati 996 in 1998. The brand has to react on issues such as the reliability of their bikes as part of road use and correctly answer the demands of the aftermarket.
Ducati then uses the resource provided by the Texas Pacific Group to review some of its production; Meanwhile, Ducati continues to build motorcycles for its hand sewn and creates champions in 1999, the Ducati Corse department. King Fogarty returns to business after a brief stint at Honda and carries the double in the World Superbike Championship in 1998 and 1999 with the 996. World Superbike crown back to Troy Bayliss in 2001.
Manufacturer data (route 996): 112 hp at 8,500 r / min, 198 kg dry
Manufacturer data (996 Racing): 144 hp at 12000 r / min, 157 kg dry
Manufacturer data (route 998): 123 hp at 9,750 r / min, 198 kg dry
Manufacturer data (998 Racing): 152 hp at 12000 r / min, 157 kg dry
Ducati 999: The rupture
Unveiled in 2003, the Ducati 999 marks a real break with previous generations, and affirm the willingness of the plant to renew a style that has changed little since the release of the first 916. Choices and stylistic techniques Pierre Terblanche for the 999 will not be to everyone’s taste. Some will cry sacrilege in uncovering the pot under the seat of very rectangular shape, or the disappearance of the single arm.
In fact, the 999 is more than ever motorcycle engineering, recasting them completely according Superbike Ducati motor position, ergonomics, stiffness, feeling the front end. Its narrow engine cylinder heads (Testastretta) evolve continually developing 124 hp and 140 hp in 2005. In racing, the 999 is a beautiful bike and always very efficient.
It will focus on the hands of Neil Hodgson in 2003, James Toseland in 2004 before the unfortunate French Regis Laconi and Troy Bayliss in 2006.
Manufacturer data (street bike): 124 hp at 9,750 r / min, 186 kg dry
Manufacturer data (motorcycle racing): 160 hp at 11,750 rev / min, 155 kg dry
Ducati 1098/1198: Back in grace
With the generation of Ducati 1098/1198 launched in 2007, the manufacturer returns to a more inclusive line, reintroduced the single-sided, two pots in the saddle … and develops more and more mechanical and electronics technologies to contain a horse on the increase. Thus, the Ducati 1098 was up 20 horsepower to 160 hp free version for 173 kg dry.
The 1198 generation, then Ducati 1198 Ducati 1198 S and SP, will this generation at its peak with a highly developed electronic (including traction control and shifter). In racing, it’s even Troy Bayliss who will shine red flare in 2008 and veteran Carlos Check in 2011. This will resume his handlebars one last time in 2012 before the arrival of the new 1199 Panigale.
Manufacturer data (1098 drive): 160 hp. at 9750 rev / min, 173 kg dry
Manufacturer data (1098 race): NC
Manufacturer data (1198 drive): 170 bhp. At 9750 rev / min, 169 kg dry
Manufacturer data (1198 race): NC
Breaking with most codes of the brand, the Ducati 1199 Panigale who made his first laps on the road in 2012 and Italian Championship promises to be the terror of the future World Superbike. With its 195 hp. at 10 750 r / min to 164 kg dry, mixed with its distribution chain and sprockets cascade (more straps …), its framework aluminum hull and comprehensive electronics package, it has everything – on paper – to become the next bogey of the category. But for that, he will spend a year in the super stock world validation and confront the realities on the ground. To be continued…
Manufacturer data (street bike): 195 hp. at 10 750 rev / min, 164 kg dry
Manufacturer data (motorcycle racing): NC
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